The National Weather Service issued a tornado watch for Southern Maryland and surrounding counties Thursday afternoon, but discontinued the watch when severe weather did not enter the area as predicted.

Scattered showers and thunderstorms are still predicted off and on through the remainder of the week and into next week.

In the event of a tornado watch, Charles County Emergency Services advises residents to have a preparedness plan in place and to seek shelter in an interior room or hallway on the ground floor of a structure.

A tornado watch means that conditions exist that may produce a tornado. Tornado warnings are issued after a tornado has been sighted in an area.

“We’ll monitor the path of the storm and take precautions as necessary,” Charles County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Diane Richardson said before the watch was discontinued.

After a tornado has passed, Emergency Services encourages residents to remain with friends and family, attend to injured individuals, and stay away from downed power lines and puddles that wires have fallen into.